Apparatus for reconditioning tubes



Nov.v 24, 1964 R. w. SALISBURY APPARATUS FOR RECONDITIONING TUBES 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 12, 1962 INVENTOR REUBEN WESLEY SALISBURY ATTORNEY Nov. 24, 1964 Filed Feb- 12, 1962 FIG.2

R. W SALISBURY APPARATUS FOR RECONDITIONING TUBES 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR REUBEN WESLEY SALSBURY ATTORNEY United States Patent 3,158,1366 APFAPATUS FER RECONDETEGNHIG TUBES Reuben Wesley Salisbury, Seaford, Eek, nssignor to E. R. du Pont de Nemours and Company, Wilmington, Deb, a corporation of Delaware Filed Feb. 12, 1962, Eer. No. 172,766 6 Ciaims. (Cl. it-14) This invention relates to an apparatus for reconditioning used tubes, particularly tubes used in a windup for the drawtwisting of synthetic filaments or yarns. More specifically, the reconditioning action involves the cutting away or removal of worn, nicked, or deformed portions of such tubes.

In processing synthetic filaments or yarns, the yarn is removed from a package, the processing operation is carried out and then the yarn is rewound onto another package.- A typical operation of this is in the drawtwisting of nylon. The tube or pirn that is used is frequently made from a metal such as aluminum or some other relatively strong material. These tubes are reused many times but in normal handling their end portions are damaged and become bent, nicked, etc. These nicks and burrs are quite troublesome as they catch a moving threadline and frequently cause a breakdown. Previously, the machine operators would use a piece of emery cloth or similar material to smooth out the burr or notch by hand. This was a slow and tedious process and many small burrs and grooves were overlooked and caused trouble during the drawtwisting operation. Further, bent and thus unbalanced tubes were not detected and this unbalance caused poor packages and excessive oil leakage and staining of the thread because of the unbalanced load on the tube-chuck bearings.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel and improved apparatus to continuously recondition and resurface tubes in an improved, expeditious, and economical manner.

A further object of this invention is the provision of apparatus to gauge the length of the tube after being reconditioned and reject undersized tubes.

With these and other objects in view the improved apparatus for resurfacing the ends of tubes comprises a supply hopper for holding a plurality of tubes, the hopper having means for releasing a single tube at timed intervals, a tube conveying means moving intermittently and presenting conveyed tubes to a series of work stations, 21 first work station with means to clamp and position the tube, a cutting means for resurfacing the tube ends and means associated with the cutting means to control the cutting time and then cause the clamping and positioning means to release the tube and place it back on the conveying means; a length checking station; a reject station with means to eject tubes failing to pass preset limits in the length checking station; and means to receive the finished tubes.

The apparatus will be explained more fully in the specification which follows, reference being made to the accompanying drawing wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic diagrammatic showing of the machine of the present invention;

FIGURE 1A is a diagrammatic showing of a tube being resurfaced;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the exterior of the machine of the present invention; and

FIGURE 3 is a partial view of one end of a damaged tube to be operated on by the machine of this invention showing the portion to be cut away.

Referring now to FIGURES 1 and 2, it is seen that the apparatus comprises a base 91) and supporting frame structure 91 in which are mounted a supply hopper 2 greases Patented Nov. 24, 1964 into which are hand loaded a plurality of tubes 4, movable slotted feed control plate 6, reciprocated by air cylinder 8 at appropriate intervals to permit a tube 4 to drop vertically into a pair of tube carrier cradles 10 mounted on spaced parallel chains 12 forming a conveyor. There are a plurality of cradles 10 at spaced intervals on the conveyor chains 12. The conveyor formed by chains 12 is driven intermittently by a motor means, not shown, and horizontally conveys the tube 4 first to the work station indicated at 14. At this position a vertically movable clamping block 16, raised between conveyor chains 12 by an air cylinder, not shown, lifts tube 4 and clamps it against an opposed fixed block 18. Two aligned opposed rotary cutter heads and 22 provided with cutter blades 24, and previously set into rotation at initial machine startup, are caused by air cylinder motors to move toward each end of tube 4 at a preselected speed. Mounted in cutting head 22 in alignment with the tube held in the clamping blocks is an electrical switch 26 which is contacted by the end of tube 4 to start the timer motor, not shown, which controls the time that the opposed cutters operate upon the ends of the tube.

At the end of the timed period, the cutter heads 20 and 22 are moved away from the respective ends of tube 4. Movable block 16 lowers and returns the tube 4 to the carrier cradles 10. The conveyor 12 is indexed to move the next tube into work station 14 and simultaneously to move the resurfaced tube through the tube gauging position or station to the short tube reject station 35.

Mounted in the supporting frame structure 91 at the length measuring station 28 are a fixed bar 30, a pivoted bar 32, and an electrical switch 34 actuated by the pivoted bar 32. The pivoted bar 32 is pivoted about a substantially vertical axis to move in a substantially horizontal plane. The distance between the bars 30 and 32 is adjusted so that all tubes 4 which are longer than the desired minimum length cause the pivoted bar 32 to move and actuate switch 34. If a tube 4 is shorter than the desired minimum length, it does not move bar 32 or actuate switch 34.

At reject station 35 an air cylinder unit 36 with a reciprocating hook arm 37 is mounted in the supporting frame structure 91. As a tube 4 is indexed from work station 14 to reject station 35, it passes through the tube length gauging station 28. If switch 34 is not actuated by pivoted bar 32 due to a short tube, appropriate con trols, not shown, operate air cylinder unit 36 which moves arm 37 into engagement with the short tube and removes it laterally from the conveyor. Tubes of a length greater than the desired minimum length pass through the reject station and come to the discharge position of the conveyor and are dropped from the carrier cradles 1!) onto an inspection table 38. Appropriate conventional timing controls, switches, relays, air valves, etc. as are well known in the art are used throughout the system.

In operation, the machine operator dumps a supply of tubes 4 into the supply hopper 2 and starts the machine. The conveyor 12 is moved intermittently and at the appropriate time air cylinder 8 moves the slotted plate to permit one tube 4 to drop onto one set of the cradles 10. Following a single tube through the machine, the tube is then moved to work station 14 where it is raised and clamped by the vertically movable block 16 against fixed block 18 in a working position such that the rotating cutter blades 24 are properly aligned with tube 4. When the movable block 16 has vertically positioned tube 4 properly, it actuates switch, not shown, which causes the cutting heads 2-2 and 20 to move inwardly toward the ends of tube 4. When the tubes have been contacted byboth sets of cutter blades, switch 26 is actuated by engagement with one end of the tube and starts the timing mechanism.

At the removal of a controlled amount of material, the-cutting. heads 26? and-22am moved out of engagement with tube 4. The vertically movable block 16 moves downward and returns the tube 4 to the cradles from which it was initially picked up. The conveyor 12 is then again indexed to the reject station 35. In

passing to the reject station 35, the tube d'passes through measuring station 28. The pivoted bar 32. is moved by the tube to actuate switch 34 which prevents operation of air cylinder-36, if the tube is above the desired mini mum length; and tube 4 remains on the conveyor. However, if the length of tube 4' is below the desired minimum switch 34 is not actuated by movement of bar 32 and air cylinder 36 remains operative to eject the undersized tube into a reject container, not shown.

Upon the next index of the conveyor 3.2, the reconditioned tube'4' is transferred to an inspection table 35 as the chains forming conveyor 1?. go around the chain end pulleys 85. The operator at this point inspects the ends of the tube for bent or scalloped tubes which are the major cause of unbalance in the drawtwisting operation. These are readily detected by inspection, since with the small amount of material removed, if the tube is bent or scalloped, there will be unmachined surfaces at the end. The tubes which satisfactorily pass this inspection are loaded onto a vehicle for transfer and eventual reuse in drawtwisting operations.

The operation of the machine is continuous and automatic, the components operated in the desired sequence of operation by conventional sensing devices, power de vice units, and controls therefor in any of a variety of suitable arrangements known to those skilled in the art.

Apparatus as described above has been constructed and used to continuously out new surfaces on each end of 2 /2 inch diameter aluminum tubes which are over 12 inches long. The tube, as initially supplied is 12% inches long and is permitted to be reduced in length to 12% inches. This machine has successfully resurfaced 24-0 tubes per hour in continuous operation. It can be seen that this apparatus provides an improved, automatic, and hi hly eflicient method of resurfacing and reconditioning textile tubes. While in most instances it is desirable to refinish both ends so that the operator does not have to make a choice in putting the tube on the drawtwisting spindle, it, of course, is obvious that only one cutting head need be used if so desired. Further, there is no limitation that this machine can only be used with metal tubes. Hard plastic tubes and the like could easily be used in such an apparatus. The present invention accordingly, is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. An improved machine for sequentially resurfacing the ends of a plurality of rotatable tubular elements adapted for winding up and carrying filamentary textile materials, said machine comprising in combination,

a storage and feeding unit at a first position in the machine for receiving a plurality of such tubes in parallel alignment and for feeding the tubes sequentially to a moving conveyor means mounted in the machine for conveying said tubes in a path of movement from the said first position to a second position, from the second position to a third position and from said third position to a fourth position in. said machine a cutter means mounted in said machine and positioned in operative alignment with said conveyor means and path of movement of said tubes for engaging and resurfacing the ends of a tube a tube positioning. and securing means mounted in said machine in operative alignment and association with said conveyor means and said cutter means and adjacent the path of movement of the tubes at said second position for sequentially securing tubes carried by said conveyor means in a position of alignment and engagement with said cutter means so that resurfacing is accomplished and subsequently releasing the resurfaced tubes for further movement by said conveyor means,

a tube gauging means mounted in the machine and positioned between said second and third positions in operative association with the conveyor means and the path of movement of the tubes to gauge the length of each tube moved by the conveyor means along the path of movement between said second and third positions and detect tubes having av length greater than a given predetermined length a tube ejecting means mounted in said machine operatively connected to said gauging means and posi tioned in operative alignment with said conveyor means adjacent the path of movement of the tubes at said third position, said tube ejecting means responsive to the action of said gauging means in detecting certain tubes to remove from said conveyor means and said machine all tubes having a length less than said given predetermined length,

said conveyor means constructed and arranged at said fourth position to discharge the remaining resurfaced tubes from said machine.

2. The improved machine of claim 1 in which said cutter means comprises two aligned opposed rotary cutter heads positioned transversely to the path of movement of said tubes and spaced therefrom a given distance,

means for rotating said cutter heads, said heads mounted for relative reciprocating movement toward and away from each other, and

drive means connected thereto for reciprocating said cutter heads;

said tube positioning and securing means comprising a fixed tube positioning member positioned intermediate said cutter heads and a movable tube clamping member movable between a first point adjacent the path of movement of said tubes and a second point spaced therefrom to move a tube out or" said path and into clamping engagement with said fixed tube positioning member and into alignment with said cutter heads, said rotary cutter heads actuated by said drive means in reciprocating movement towards each other to engage and resurface a tube clamped against said fixed member in response to movement of said movable member and tube into clamping engagement with said fixed member,

said cutter means further comprising a timer means actuated in response to said movement of said cutter heads into tube engaging position for reversing the cutting reciprocating drive means, after a predetermined resurfacing interval, to permit release of said resurfaced tube and return of the tube to the conveyor means by movement of said movable member back to said first point from said second point.

3. The improved machine of claim 2 in which said storage and feeding unit comprises a gravity feed hopper for receiving said tubes,

said hopper provided with a bottom tube exit aperture,

a movable closure element cooperating with said aperture for closing and opening the same, and

a closure element control mechanism connected to said closure for operating the same in a controlled manner to release tubes from the hopper. to the conveyor means in timed sequence.

4. The improved machine of claim 3 in which said tube gauging means comprises a a pair of elements mounted adjacent said conveyor means and in alignment with said path of movement, said elements positioned in spaced opposed relation on either side of the conveyor means to control the path of movement of tubes passing between them,

and remove a tube aligned therewith from the machine, and operatively connected to the movable element of said gauging means so that upon actuation of the movable element by a tube of greater than said given predetermined length said hook element one of said elements fixedly mounted in the machine driving means is rendered inoperative to engage and to engage one end of tubes passing between them remove the tube from the conveyor means and and machine.

the other of said elements movably mounted in the 6. The improved machine of claim 5 in which said machine to be engaged and moved by the other end 10 conveyor means comprises of tubes passing between the element and having a an endless chain conveyor provided with a length greater than said given predetermined length, series of spaced tube supporting cradle members,

means operatively connecting said movable element to guide means for said endless chain conveyor and said tube ejecting means to control actuation thereof. drive means for said chain conveyor.

5. The improved machine of claim 4 in which said 15 tube ejecting means comprises a hook element mounted for reciprocating movement References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS in alignment with the transversely to the path of 5 57 Kahrs et aL D66- 3,-1925 movement of the tubes on the conveyor means, 2,139,403 Cole 1933 a drive means operatively connected to said hook 616- 20 2,242,487 Swanson May 20, 1941 ment to periodically reciprocate the same to engage 2,769,228 Burge et al. Nov. 6, 1956 

1. AN IMPROVED MACHINE FOR SEQUENTIALLY RESURFACING THE ENDS OF A PLURALITY OF ROTATABLE TUBULAR ELEMENTS ADAPTED FOR WINDING UP AND CARRYING FILAMENTARY TEXTILE MATERIALS, SAID MACHINE COMPRISING IN COMBINATION, A STORAGE AND FEEDING UNIT AT A FIRST POSITION IN THE MACHINE FOR RECEIVING A PLURALITY OF SUCH TUBES IN PARALLEL ALIGNMENT AND FOR FEEDING THE TUBES SEQUENTIALLY TO A MOVING CONVEYOR MEANS MOUNTED IN THE MACHINE FOR CONVEYING SAID TUBES IN A PATH OF MOVEMENT FROM THE SAID FIRST POSITION TO A SECOND POSITION, FROM THE SECOND POSITION TO A THIRD POSITION AND FROM SAID THIRD POSITION TO A FOURTH POSITION IN SAID MACHINE A CUTTER MEANS MOUNTED IN SAID MACHINE AND POSITIONED IN OPERATIVE ALIGNMENT WITH SAID CONVEYOR MEANS AND PATH OF MOVEMENT OF SAID TUBES FOR ENGAGING AND RESURFACING THE ENDS OF A TUBE A TUBE POSITIONING AND SECURING MEANS MOUNTED IN SAID MACHINE IN OPERATIVE ALIGNMENT AND ASSOCIATION WITH SAID CONVEYOR MEANS AND SAID CUTTER MEANS AND ADJACENT THE PATH OF MOVEMENT OF THE TUBES AT SAID SECOND POSITION FOR SEQUENTIALLY SECURING TUBES CARRIED BY SAID CONVEYOR MEANS IN A POSITION OF ALIGNMENT AND ENGAGEMENT WITH SAID CUTTER MEANS SO THAT RESURFACING IS ACCOMPLISHED AND SUBSEQUENTLY RELEASING THE RESURFACED TUBES FOR FURTHER MOVEMENT BY SAID CONVEYOR MEANS, 